Malik promises stern action in Karachi

Karachi: Pakistan`s interior minister, Rehman Malik has said that the improved law and order situation in
the financial hub of the country is transitory and more steps
are required to ensure the situation improved permanently.

Malik told a delegation of the Korangi Association of
Trade and Industry during a meeting in Karachi that there had
been reasonable improvement in the situation but it was not
permanent.

Korangi Industrial Area is one of the largest industrial
estate of Pakistan.

He assured the delegation that the government was now
working on a long-term plan to bring permanent peace and
stability to Pakistan`s biggest city and nerve centre of
economic activities.

Karachi has been hit hard by violence and target
killings this year with over 300 people killed in July and
August but after the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the
situation and the government started a cleanup operation with
the help of police and the paramilitary rangers, the situation
has improved considerably.

A five member bench of the Supreme Court this week in its
judgement on the suo motu hearings blamed different political
parties for harboring criminal gangs who were involved in the
violence and killings and extortion rackets.

Civil right campaigners have also called on the political
parties to disassociate themselves from militant wings.

Leaders of the business and trade community were upset
with the government during the violence in its failure to
prevent the kidnappings for ransom and extortion that had
risen to unimaginable proportions in the city.

Malik also made it clear that the law enforcement
agencies had been told to not spare anyone from any party if
he was found guilty of violence and creating trouble.

He also said the government would not encourage nor
tolerate attempts by any political or religious party to force
shops and businesses to shut down during strikes they call.

Referring to raids on offices of the Sunni Tehreek which
gave a strike call on Friday, he said he had order the raids.
"Yes, I ordered [it]," he said adding, "I own up my
orders, as I want to give a tough message to those who want to
ruin the peace of Karachi."

Malik said people will see more action against all
criminals regardless of their political affiliation.